Following numerous researches and a variety of potent effects which have been realized due to the use of cannabis and cannabis related drugs, there are a wide variety of pharmaceuticals that could be potentially be replaced by cannabis. Though a lot of research has been conducted and several studies are still underway, here are some of the likely pharmaceuticals we could see giving way to cannabis in the near future:

Cannabis for opioids

There are states where medicinal use of cannabis has been legalized for over two decades now, and these states have seen the rates of the usage of opioids significantly drop and so are the deaths related to the prescription of these drugs.

According to a Working Paper published in 2015, a research conducted by RAND Corporation concluded that across the 17 states where the use of medicinal cannabis was legalized, there was a drop in the deaths related to opioids overdose by between 16 – 31% following the legalization of the cannabis laws.

Another survey conducted in 2016 assessed 244 patients suffering from chronic pains and who were on medicinal cannabis. Through this survey, it was discovered that the use of opioids declined by 64% and the quality of life score for the participants increased by an average of 45%.

These and many other findings make a strong case to suggest that it is just a matter of time before medicinal cannabis completely replace opioids in the management of chronic pain.

Cannabis for antiepileptic drugs

There are certain severe forms of epilepsy that still doesn’t have concrete medications for controlling seizures. For instance, seizures associated with types like Dravet Syndrome was a big problem until it was discovered that CBD could be used to manage such seizures. As a matter of fact, Epidiolex by GW Pharmaceuticals is now being recognized as an orphan drug in the United States, since it can treat a condition which no other legally recognized drug can treat.

However, quite a number of forms of epilepsy exist and these could be treated using the traditional anticonvulsant medication and most of them come with varied side effects which can sometimes be very detrimental. Several states in the United States now consider epilepsy as an approved condition which can be treated with cannabis based medications. It has also been observed by very many epilepsy patients that treatment using CBD based drugs is more effective and have less debilitating side effects.

Other pharmaceuticals that can be replaced by cannabis

Other than the above, cannabis as shown promising results as a potential replacement for other pharmaceuticals such as:

Antipsychotics – these could be potentially be replaced, especially those based on CBD, simply because CBD is very rich in antipsychotic properties.

Anti-Insomnia – these are also potential candidates since CBD and THC have been discovered to note only encourage sleep, but also increase the duration and quality of sleep.

ADHD – ADHD drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin are not suitable for all types of ADHD patients and a good number of such patients are now opting to replace their meds with cannabis based prescriptions.

THC – An Article By Someone Who Has Never Consumed It

Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the chemical responsible for the euphoric high associated with marijuana. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, HTC acts in the same way as cannabinoid chemicals found naturally in our bodies. Cannabinoid are nothing but receptors present in large numbers in the sections of the brain associated with time perception, coordination, pleasure, memory and thinking.

THC normally gets attached to the receptors in these parts of the brain and once the receptors are activated, an individual’s pleasure, memory, time perception, coordination, movement, concentration, and thinking capabilities are affected.

But THC is just one of the plethora compounds found in a marijuana plant. Its initial isolation from marijuana was done in 1964 by an Israeli chemist known as Raphael Mechoulam. He managed to successfully isolate and synthesize THC from hashish from Lebanon and this marked the beginning of the numerous research and studies involving cannabinoids and the behaviour of cannabinoid receptors throughout the body.

How THC Affects the Body

The details of the working of THC in the body is quite comprehensive, but in simple terms, THC works by binding itself to the cannabinoid receptors present in the central nervous system and the brain to create the various psychoactive effects. THC will produce a wide range of both short term and long term effects and these will vary from one individual to another. For instance, others will find that HTC elicits feeling of great calm and peace while others may realize that their levels of anxiety increases upon taking HTC. The other short term related effects of THC include:

Medicinal uses of THC

Marijuana has been in use for treating or offering relief to various ailments for close to 3000 years. In the United States, the use of medicinal marijuana is legal while there are also a good number of states where using it for recreational purposes may not get you in trouble with the law.

Currently, THC is obtained as an extract from marijuana or is it synthesized as is always the case for FDA approved medications such as dronbinol. Available in various formulations and under different trade names, THC is currently being used to prevent vomiting and nausea associated with cancer medication. According to the US National Library of Medicine, THC drugs can also be used to increase appetites of individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

Even though certain people tout marijuana to be better than prescription drugs simply because it is natural and when smoked or “taken raw”, you get “everything”, this is never true. Because something is referred to as natural does not necessarily mean that it is safe. Prescription THC is far much recommended than smoking weed if you want to tap into the benefits of THC. You should also be careful with THC overdose [*note from editor* non lethal, but unenjoyable ] as this has caused a number of problems, especially in places edibles and foods containing THC are easily available.